Are INTPs able to rationalize bad behavior?

[transformers]

Bad in the conventional sense of the word. I read this in the "INTPs would make good criminals" thread and was wondering about it. Is it true INTPs are able to justify what would normally be considered wrong, such as stealing or lying, or doing drugs, or playing with people's emotions? Not that INTPs are criminals, but that we have the capacity to become ones if the need arises; our moral beliefs are not set in stone, as many people's are. Do you agree with this, and if so, how would you explain it?

 

[bluesquid]

Bad in the conventional sense of the word. I read this in the "INTPs would make good criminals" thread and was wondering about it. Is it true INTPs are able to justify what would normally be considered wrong, such as stealing or lying, or doing drugs, or playing with people's emotions? Not that INTPs are criminals, but that we have the capacity to become ones if the need arises; our moral beliefs are not set in stone, as many people's are. Do you agree with this, and if so, how would you explain it?

I think every human on the planet is brilliant at rationalization "Irregardless"(lol) of type.

 

[Ashenstar]

Hmm,
I know I 'm able to rationalize "bad" behavior. However, even when I am rationalizing things to myself I'm not so delusional that I completely believe myself 100%. Even when rationalizing "bad" I still realize that I'm lying to myself and that I'm being "bad", I just really don't care.

 

[bananaphallus]

With respect to emotional manipulation, isn't any sort of communication with another human being, regardless of the motives and when boiled down, an effort to elicit a desired or favorable physical/verbal response, a means to an end? What makes one end more noble than another?

As for rationalizing 'bad' behavior, I think outside of physically hurting another person, it's a matter of measuring the potential benefits against the potential negative consequences. Someone else telling me I shouldn't do something isn't enough.

 

[Starfruit M.E.]

I agree. You can rationalize pretty much anything by simply by finding more benefit in it... sometimes you have to ignore certain information trying to tell you otherwise, but... It's always possible. Rationalizing something just means that there are enough reasons supporting it that you can give an excuse for what you did, even if that excuse doesn't hold up to questioning in the bigger picture.